CWNP or Cisco Wlan Cert

wlan

Hi

i want to pass a Wireless Certificate,but i dont know wich one is better

Cisco has a Following Cert:

Cisco Wireless LAN Design Specialist
Cisco Wireless LAN Sales Specialist
Cisco Wireless LAN Support Specialist

and CWNP has three levels :Foundation,Advanced and Expert.

so wich one is better?

THX

JOblessELement

This is quite a tough choice and I really wouldn't know which direction to go in. But,

wlan wrote:

Cisco Wireless LAN Sales Specialist

Does Cisco really have that many Wireless LAN products out in the market that you have to be Cisco certified for sales?

Webmaster

It depends a lot on how you define 'better', nevertheless I think the CWNA certification is the certification to start with if you want to pursue a wireless carreer. If you already have a couple of Cisco certs in your pocket, i.e. CCNP/CCDP, the LAN Support/LAN Design can be a 'better' addition.

Webmaster

Sartan wrote:

CWNP will teach you everything, Cisco's cert will teach you cisco.

That's quite a statement for someone who didn't take either.

Have you even looked at the exam objectives at cisco.com? There are very few cisco-specific topics in those exams (LAN support and Design), there are only a couple related to configuring Cisco equipment...

Also, Cisco equipment is based on the same wireless IEEE standards, they don't use any specific protocols, at least nothing that you would already know from CCNA or CCDA.

wlan, note that the LAN Support requires CCNA and LAN Design requires CCDA.

wlan

Thanks a Lot Guys..

i have already a CCNA Cert and i will write CCNP in Summer,but now ill start to learn to pass CWNP,so my next Question:
what r the book i need?
Boson?
what else,how much Time do i need? 2-3weeks?

sorry for my Baaaaaaaaad english

jparr70

[quote="Webmaster
Also, Cisco equipment is based on the same wireless IEEE standards, they don't use any specific protocols, at least nothing that you would already know from CCNA or CCDA.
quote]

LEAP is a proprietary Cisco protocol not mentioned in either of the Associate level exams, but one that should be covered in the WLANFE as it is specific to the Cisco ACU config.

Also, if you read the exam topics on the Cisco site, you'll find that they do specify items that are specific to Cisco hardware and software...

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/10/wwtraining/certprog/testing/current_exams/9E0-581.html

Having studied the material for both certifications, my opinion is that while the Cisco cert does cover RF and WLAN topics, the coverage is not as in-depth as the CWNP material. However, not having taken either test yet,... take that for whatever it's worth...

Webmaster

Thanks for the correction. I did read a bit about LEAP a couple of days after my reply, but I couldn't find it as part of the Wireless LAN Support nor Design exam.

Also, if you read the exam topics on the Cisco site, you'll find that they do specify items that are specific to Cisco hardware and software...

Yes, I did read them. And I like I said, there are a few cisco-specific topics both exams and a couple related to configuring Cisco equipment... that is only logical, but in my opinion that doesn't make it an any better or worse cert. Although Cisco does not own the wireless networking market like they own the wired, many companies have contracts with Cisco dealers and wouldn't doubt to choose for Cisco again once they go wireless. Hence, learning to configure wireless cisco devices (or proprietary technologies) won't likely be a waste of time.

And although I think CWNA may be a better wireless cert to start with (just got the book myself last week), I think the Cisco certs (partly because they require CCNA or CCDA) can provide you with the required knowledge to admin/configure/design wireless networks just as well. Considering the original question, I think that when you want to become a wireless network specialist the entire range of certs in the CWNP program seem mandatory. But I would feel the same for the Cisco wireless certs when I'd be a CCNP/CCDP.

I guess you found the solution in taking them both Are you planning on take one soon?

jparr70

Actually, took it today and passed...

jparr70

JOblessELement wrote:

This is quite a tough choice and I really wouldn't know which direction to go in. But,

wlan wrote:

Cisco Wireless LAN Sales Specialist

Does Cisco really have that many Wireless LAN products out in the market that you have to be Cisco certified for sales?

I used to be certified as a CSE (Cisco Sales Expert). The mentality is this - Cisco Sales staff needs to understand enough technical information about each product line, e.g., wlan, switches, routers, security devices, etc, so that they can understand which products with which features to refer to customers. Not that they are CCIE-types, they usually bring their engineer with them to cover the more technical questions... So basically, it's just a way for Cisco to certify that their sales staff understands which product is the best fit for a customer solution.

Webmaster

jparr70 wrote:

Actually, took it today and passed...

Congrats!

Any thoughts? What did you use to prepare for the exam?

jparr70

I think the exam is a valid measure of RF/WLAN knowledge as an entry level cert, and does well to cover the info prresented in the study guide. I only used the Official Study Guide book... Read it 3 times over the past 6 months (college and work kept getting in the way) to make sure I really grasped as much of the content as possible. I think I tried a few free online quizzes, not really sure they were of much benefit. Of course, I've supported RF systems for 2 years and worked on 802.11 RF and WLAN sytems for another year. Having that experience definitely made it easier to understand the concepts and apply them to what I've been doing at work.

I took about 45 mins to complete it, felt half asleep the whole time (I'm just not a morning person), and passed with an 84%... Most answers are obvious if you know the material in the book, and if you do know and understand it, you'll have no problem passing. There were about 10 or so that I really had to think on, not having seen the questions asked that way (based on the chapter reviews in the book) and there were maybe another 5 that I don't recall being covered in the book. I think there was one question that had the wrong set of answers, unless it was just really testing how the overall understanding of two separate concepts are indirectly related (gotta respect the NDA.. ).

Webmaster

Sounds like the exam is straightforward as I like them

Thanks for the feeback on the exam, are you planning on taking any of the Cisco wireless certs?

jparr70

Not any time soon... I'm planning on following up with CWSP in the next 6 months or so, depending on how hectic things get with my schedule. I changed job roles late last year and my CCNA expired in Feb, but I'm too lazy and don't have the time to spend to recert and be eligible to take the WLANFE. I'm going to focus on the CWSP like I mentioned and then some other security certs that I should have for now... at least until my job role changes again...